Gallery wire was originally used in the early days of industrial manufacturing as an ornamental material to embellish silverware, but is produced only rarely nowadays. After graduating from Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences and setting up her studio in Duisburg in 2006, Tanja Friedrichs used it to create her LA, Quiril and Loope rings. Reine Zierde, i.e. Pure Adornment, is what she christened the entire collection, an allusion to the ornamental wire from which the pieces are crafted. A characteristic and eye-catching feature of the beaded wire rings, which were complemented by earrings later on, is the flowing play of light reflected from the tiny beads with the wearer’s every motion and captivating the beholder. As in her rings, this designer also succeeded in wedding structural clarity and playful lightness in her earrings, underpinned by superlative craftsmanship.
Tanja Friedrichs also harnessed the magical effect of flowing light when she created her Pivot line of rings, which are crafted from twisted gold or silver wire. Nevertheless, gallery wire remains the signature material of this likeable designer from the Ruhr, whose pieces were very well received by leading galleries and jewelers not only in Germany, but also in Switzerland, Great Britain and the USA.
Cloud is the name of her latest series comprising earrings, bracelets and necklaces. “A gently flowing progression of elements imbued with structure and rhythm; the necklace’s links pile up … to then disappear again behind the horizon,” is how Tanja Friedrichs describes her new creations. The individual pieces from her Cloud line are named after the number of links they are composed of. The longest necklace, Cloud206, is handcrafted from 206 links and features two different ways of interlinking them. It is 105 cm long and can also be worn doubled up into a two-strand necklace.
Text Reinhold Ludwig, translation Sabine Goodman
Tanja Friedrichs‘ profile on artaurea.com
Photos of the CLOUD collection: Frauke Pobst
Preview photo: Maria Ines, publisher, wearing earrings by Tanja Friedrichs (on the left) and Oliver Schmid (on the right). Shirt by Max Mara. Photo Laurens Grigoleit